Rear entry ski boots have in recent years become quite popular for recreational skiers because of the ease of foot entry and the comfort which they provide. However, rear entry boots are not favored by expert and competitive skiers because they tend to offer less ski control and responsiveness.
Rear entry boots may comprise a rigid, outer shell, a heel (or rear) spoiler which is hingedly connected to the outer shell, and calf and shin cuffs which engage the lower portion of the wearer's leg. These boots also feature inner boots or boot liners, often made from flexible foam materials and fabrics, within which the wearer's foot is held. One or more buckles may hold the spoiler and calf cuff to an upper portion of the shell to close the boot. Such boots may be opened, to insert or remove the foot, by releasing the buckles and allowing the top of the spoiler to pivot rearwardly. The shell of such boots may be referred to as having a "fixed volume" because the shell is rigid and does not compress to engage the foot. Foot restraint systems have been developed to hold the skier's foot within the boot to assist in providing ski control. Such foot restraint systems typically comprise cables or straps which are mounted interior of the outer shell and are positioned so as to act upon the boot liner to hold the foot in position. These straps are usually actuated by a buckle located on the outside of the boot. Although these foot restraint systems provide some ski control, aggressive skiing may loosen the foot restraint systems, or cause the foot to become momentarily displaced.
Many expert and competitive skiers favor front or top entry ski boots which feature a variable volume shell and approximately three or four buckles mounted on the front portion of the boot. While these boots provide excellent ski control, they tend to be uncomfortable because of their unselectively tight fit and compression of the ski boot shell about the foot.
There is thus a need for a ski boot which bridges the gap between typical rear entry ski boots and front entry ski boots by providing skier comfort as well as acceptable ski control. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a ski boot which features easy and convenient foot entry and exit. Another object of the invention is to provide a ski boot which features enhanced ski control without sacrificing comfort. A further object of the invention is to provide a rear entry ski boot having the features noted above. It is also an object of the invention to provide an easily actuated tightening mechanism for the inner shell of the boot. Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure.